Phoenix Rising
by Clarissa DeChanteur
Summary: After a freak accident 15 years ago, Chandler is thrown back in time with no memory of who she is or where she comes from. Imagine her surprise when a certain headmaster comes and tells her of her true purpose!
1. Chapter 1

_I will admit that I was never the most ordinary of children. While kids my age were out and about, screaming and yelling, playing sports and all that good stuff, I was inside my room, playing with my dolls and making up stories. I delighted in the magical and the mystical, and when I learned to read I lost myself in fantasy books. I've always been totally addicted to the Harry Potter series. People say I'm obsessed. Hehe, I agree. I love those books more than anything. I can't really decide why though. Something about them just seems so familiar.. So totally right._

_I always felt that I never really belonged with the rest of the kids in my age group; there was just something, well, different about me. And lately, some pretty strange things have been happening......_

* * *

"I had the dream _again_ last night!" I said bemusedly to my friend Mia as we walked down 3rd Avenue. She adjusted her glasses and looked at me appraisingly for a bit, then took a sip of her smoothie.

"You shouldn't think much of it, Chandler. It's just a dream!" We stopped to take a seat at a table outside of Starbucks. Ever studious, Mia pulled out a history book from her messenger bag and perused it silently. Mia and I hadn't known each other for long. We just happened to hit it off in our 3rd period English class and formed a friendship. We're almost like night and day, though we do share some similarities. She's terribly academic, and loves facts and books and all that goes with it. She doesn't approve of my love for fiction novels and always chides me when we go to the library and I check out almost the entire fantasy section, while she in turn checks out the entire law section.

I stared up into the clear August sky feeling oddly apprehensive, not as one should feel on a bright summer day. In two weeks I would be starting High School, and I couldn't help but dread the impending arrival of a new school year. Not that I hated school or anything, I just liked vacation a lot. Nor was I afraid to start school, seeing as I'm not anti-social. I was just tired of the monotony of it all, the same subjects and routine year after year. I sighed, got up, grabbed my and started to walk into the nearest bookstore. It took a while for Mia to realize that I was gone, but when she did, I was rewarded with a light smack on the head with her history book.

"I hate it when you do that. I swear, it's almost like you're in a trance or something." She smiled slightly, but frowned as I ignored her and began to wander around the Barnes and Noble we were in. The atmosphere outside perfectly mirrored the one inside the store: hot, stuffy, and full of people. I weaved in and out of the crowds, idly picking up books and setting them back down again. "Tell me about your dream, Chandler. What is it about this one that gets you so antsy?"

"I don't know! I just feel like I've actually been there, Mia. Like I've walked the halls and been in the classrooms and played... And played Quidditch."

Mia groaned good-naturedly and sat me down at a little kids table. "It's not _real_, Chandler. You've got to realize that! You're too old to be believing in magic and Harry Potter and all that stuff. It's simply not practical." she said slowly, quite condescendingly. I stood up indignantly, scattering popup books everywhere and shocking the surrounding toddlers and their parents.

"Don't you think I know that?!" I stalked away, muttering dejectedly. "I know it doesn't... No.... I can't help it. I've had those dreams for years now, Mia. I was dreaming of Quidditch long before I even knew what it was." I was whispering now, as was she. She was hissing that I was making a scene and embarrassing her, but I didn't care. I didn't care that I couldn't actually be there at Hogwarts, couldn't do magic, that the things and characters weren't solid and real. She never looked past the mundane, Mia. She needed everything to be tangible, supported with facts. It was just like her to not understand how much I loved the story.

In my furious and blind huff towards the back of the store, I suddenly hit something very solid head on, and toppled over backwards with a shriek, taking Mia and the bookcase behind with me. Thoroughly embarrassed, I pushed away fallen books to peer around. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you alright?" As I reached out a hand to help the one I collided with up, I found myself staring down at a most peculiar looking man in a bright Hawaiian shirt. He had pale skin, and faintly greasy hair pulled back into a ponytail, and a smirk plastered on his face.

"That's quite alright, Miss Garbell. I understand completely. You didn't look like you cared to know where you were going, so it doesn't really matter." He had a strong British accent, and took my hand and hoisted himself up. He straightened his oddly colored outfit, and then said, "I have been hoping to meet you, Miss Garbell. I have a matter to discuss with you of the utmost importance! Will you please come with me?"

I stared at him dumbfounded. What could this odd man possibly want with me? I felt a tug on my shirt, and turned my head to see Mia attempting to drag me away. Irritated, I slapped her hand and turned back to face the stranger. "Really, Chandler, it's not polite to stare at someone with your mouth hanging open like that. I shall not harm you. If your friend has any doubts about that, she may accompany you to ensure that I keep my word." Mia sputtered incoherently, and I gazed suspiciously into the man's eyes.

"Who are you? I have the strangest feeling that we..." I stepped closer to look into his eyes. "know each other from somewhere..." He blanched slightly, then his eyes got noticeably colder and his expression hooded. 

"My name is not important, at least not right now. We do know each other, I will tell you that much. Now please, come with me. People are starting to stare." And indeed they were. I glanced around and saw a number of curious spectators staring at us interestedly.

"Alright. Let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

The stranger nodded and walked towards an fairly deserted corner of the bookstore where two armchairs were pushed into a small nook. I followed, trying to ignore Mia's furious hisses:

"What are you doing? You can't just go walking off with some stranger! Are you crazy? Oh, wait, I forgot. You're Chandler. Of course you're crazy! Don't you realize he could kill you or worse -- "

"He said he wouldn't harm me, Mia. I'm just going to talk with him. If he turns out to be a creep, we'll run for it. If you don't want to come, don't come. If you do, chill!" I sat down in a fluffy armchair across from him, and a moment later Mia came to sit next to me. With a cough, he brushed a stray lock of hair out of his eyes and muttered something in a low voice. The bookcases flanking us suddenly shifted their masses and came together, like a gate, and blocked us from view. Mia gasped and scrambled behind my chair. Then he leaned back, and spoke.

"My name is Severus Snape. I have come to you, Chandler, because you are the only person who can help me. I heard you talking to your friend here about some dreams you've been having. Something about the world of Harry Potter, and Quidditch? Those weren't dreams. They were memories. Have you ever wondered why you so readily embraced those books and all that is in them? It's because you really belong in that world; you were once a part of it. You once lived there, in the wizarding world." Snape shifted and took a small, golden object from his pocket. "Do you know what this is?"

I leaned forward and saw a tiny hourglass glinting in the light. "Sure I do! It's a time-turner. But.... This has got to be a hoax. Where are the cameras? This is too surreal to be true."

Snape shook his head. "No, it is true. I know it is hard to believe. But 15 years ago you were a full-fledged witch in our world. You lost your memory after an accident with a time- turner... This time-turner, to be exact. It threw you back to a point of no return, destroyed most of your memory, and due to our laws we were forced to leave you here, in the Muggle world. You are a very important person, and I have come to bring you back to our world. To bring you home."

I blinked for a long time, my mind twisting and turning in every direction without any particular path. "What was I doing when I had this... Accident? Are you sure you have the right person?" I said softly, fingering the hourglass. I wanted to believe him, but even I wasn't that foolish. Taking a leaf out of Mia's book, I decided to get some proof. "Can you prove it? Can you prove that I'm really who you think I am?"

He stood up, and took a long brown stick out of his pocket and handed it to me: a wand. I took it gingerly, and he spoke again as I examined it. "You were on a mission to retrieve someone, but it backfired. That is your wand. Try to use it." I gawked at him. How could I use a wand? He has to be mad, barking mad. Or someone is playing a really dirty trick on me. I stood up and with a swish and a flick, I pointed the wand at a nearby book and said:

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

And the book moved. Startled, I dropped the wand with a squeak, and scrambled backwards to crouch next to Mia. Snape's mouth formed a wry smile. "You see? Your friend here couldn't do that." He stooped, and tossed the wand back to me. I warily whispered, "Accio book!" And in an instant "How to Spot the Signs of Insanity" came flying into my hands. This was too much for me. I sank into the chair with a bewildered glance at Mia, who was suddenly looking quite deranged.

"Mia?"

"You.... You.... Stay away from me! Both of you!" She was backing into a corner, and brandishing her cross necklace at me with a maniacal glint in her eyes. "This can't be happening.. I must be dreaming! That's right! This is only a dream! Hahahahaha!" She inched along the bookcases, shooting sidelong glances at Snape, who was silently convulsing with ill-repressed mirth.

"Mia, you're being very stupid right now, you know that, right?" I reached out to grab her hand, but she stabbed me with a pencil. Suddenly, Snape pointed his wand at her forehead and said almost lazily, "Petrificus Totalus!" and Mia slumped to the floor.

"Well, now that that's been taken care of... She was really starting to bother me. Do you believe me now, Chandler?" I sat in my chair, looking at Mia silently.

"This is so weird. It's right out of a movie! I'm being taken to Hogwarts by Severus Snape." I chortled and brushed my fingers over the cover of "How to Spot the Signs of Insanity". "I doubt this particular scene is in there, but you never know. Well, what the heck. Yeah, I believe you. So, you've found me. Now what? Do you suddenly turn into a bat and then take me to Hogwarts or something?"

"Hardly. I know this must be very odd for you, and I apologize. Now, we don't have much time to waste, and there's a time difference here... Hmm..." With a abrupt clap of his hands, his tourist attire disappeared and was replaced by his usual black robes. He looked considerably more comfortable and twice as insidious. He proffered his hand to me. "Come. We'll apparate there."

"You're the boss!" And with my taking of his hand, we were gone. It was the peculiar journey of my life. I felt as though my entire body was being transformed into air, and like a video on fast forward I saw myself flying over land and water and into the sun. Moments later, I found myself being thrown onto solid ground with great force. I rolled and felt my arms and legs splay outward. Wincing and rubbing my hands over minute cuts and abrasions, I looked up to see Snape standing quite unruffled beside me. He swept an arm outward to point at our new surrounds.

"Welcome to our world, Chandler. Welcome home."


End file.
